Oswego, N.Y. – About 1,700 Oswego city residents will remain under a boil and conserve water advisory until at least Thursday evening or Friday, following a water main break last week.
That means the residents will have been under the advisory for a week since the water main break on Thursday.
The final repairs have been delayed because the city had to wait for a replacement pipe, Oswego Mayor Robert Corradino said Tuesday.
The main broke at 11 p.m. on Thursday when city workers were replacing two old water lines with a 16-inch line while working on an $8 million infrastructure project, Corradino said.
“When you’re attaching a 16-inch water line to older pipes, the pressure is greater,” Corradino said. “There’s potential for valves and older pipes to break.”
Workers fixed the break but had to wait for the new pipe to complete the work.
Corradino said the pipe arrived Monday night, and that crews began to install it by 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. He expected the work to be done Tuesday.
After the repair is made, it will take two days to test the water to make sure it is safe, the mayor said. That’s why the mayor expects the advisory to be lifted by late Thursday or Friday.
The city has asked residents in the affected area to conserve their water and to boil it before drinking as a safety measure.
The drop in pressure caused by a break can allow untreated water and harmful microbes to enter the supply, officials said. Harmful microbes in the drinking water can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms and may pose a special health risk for infants, some elderly, and people with severely compromised immune systems, they said
Residents should boil tap water for at least one minute before drinking, making ice, washing dishes, brushing teeth or preparing food, officials said. Bottled water approved by the state Health Department can also be used.
The American Red Cross has provided residents 60 24-bottle cases of water and 96 40-bottle cases of water while the advisory remains active, according to American Red Cross spokesperson Daniel Hartman.
Staff writer Vince Gasparini covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach him at vgasparini@syracuse.com.
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